One of the most common questions that bail bondsmen receive is “why don’t I get all of my bail bond money back?” This is a fair question to ask because if you were to put up your own money for bail and then show up for your court appearance, you would get all of that money back. Putting up bail with a bail bond agency is a little different. In this post, we will explain why you don’t get all of your money back if you go through a bail bondsman.
What Is a Bail Bond?
Before we dig in, we should probably explain what a bail bond is. Texas statute defines bail as “the security given by the accused that he will appear and answer before the proper court the accusation brought against him.” A bail bond is just another way for a defendant to get out of jail before their court date.
There are several types of bail bonds, but for our purposes we will be using surety bonds as the example. When the bail amount is set, oftentimes the defendant does not have enough money to put up the cash amount on the spot. This is where a bail bondsman comes in. Usually a relative or family member will contact a bail bond agency to lend the money necessary to pay the bail amount. In exchange, the bail bondsman will charge a non-refundable premium (usually 10%) of the total bail amount.
A Bail Bond Is a Service
A bail bond agency is a business and needs to make money to remain active. Bail bondsmen offer the service of getting your relative or friend out of jail by providing the money necessary. Because of that, the non-refundable fee of 10% is added as payment for this service.
The gift of a bail bondsman is that you are not required to pay the entire bail amount. In some cases, where bail amounts can exceed $100,000, it can be impossible for a defendant to produce that kind of money. Instead, they would pay $10,000 to a bail bondsman in exchange for the other $90,000 of their bail to be covered.
Liability
When a bail bond service puts up the money for your bail, they effectively take on financial responsibility if you fail to show up to court. This is why many bail bondsmen require collateral that can provide some financial security in the event that the defendant fails to appear in court.
Remember that if you fail to show up to your court appearance, all of your bail bond boney will be forfeited to the court. This is the case whether you use a bail bondsman or not so it is always good practice to show up to your court appointment.
Get Your Bail Bond with A-EZ Out Bail Bonds
Instead of putting up thousands of dollars that you may not have for bail, let A-EZ Out Bail Bonds get your friend or family member out of jail. Our experienced bail bondsmen know the ins and outs of the business and are available 24/7 to assist you. Call or fill out our online form if you or a loved one require bail bond services!